Assigkoe to felix t



Nb Model.) .2 sheets-sheet 1.

P. MQUOMSTO'GK. BRIGK MACHINE; k No. 296,276.. Pat te Aprpl', 1884.

J g r a 2 3 ss E j A i 5 "Y1 h h =j Q z P r l a 8 0 7!! z A z v v M Fi .1 miimsses FRANCIS M. COMSTOCK, OF KEOKUK, TOW'A, ASSIGNOR TO FELIX T. HUGHES, WELLS M. IRVVIX, CHARLES S. WHITNEY, AND FREDERICK M. STAFFORD,

ALL OF SAME PLACE.

BRlCK-MACHlNEp SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 296,276. dated April 1, 1884.

Application filed January 3, 1884. (No model.)

To all 2072,0112 it may concern.- Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. COMSTOOK,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Keokuk, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry-Press BricloMachines, of which the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in brickonachincs of the class known as drypress machines, in which the clay is compressed in a dry or comparatively dry state into bricks.

The object of my invention is to exert a pressure on the clay which will give an equal density to the whole brick, and at the same timeproduce a brick of superior finish.

Figure 1 is a side view of my machine,with a portion of the lattice removed, that the levers may be seen, and also the molds of one end taken off, to better show the table. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a top View of the mold- 2 5 table. Fig. 5is a side view of the inold table. Figs. 6, 6 are sectional and top views'of the mold. Figs. '7 and 7 are sectional and plan views of the mold and follower. Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of the driving-shaft and the conncctingrods for operating the mold and brick-ejecting devices. Fig. 9 is an end view of the devices shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10

is a top view of a portion of the worm-wheel which rotates the mold-table. Figs. 11, 12 are top and sectional views of the hopper and devices for feeding the clay into the mold.

A. A are the sides or standards of the machine, secured to any suitable base, joined at their central portions by the brackets i and at the top by the plunger-operating shaft 6. The shaft 0 is provided at each end with eccentrics or crank-arms a, projecting from the shaft in reverse directions, to which the plunger-bars B are secured, so that when one plunger is exerting pressure on the brick in the molds at one end of the machine the other plunger is withdrawn from its mold at the other end of the machine, as will more fully appear; The upper ends of the plunger-bars are provided with projections B B, which work in guides D D, secured to the top of the standardsAA, and by which means the plungers are held in place and steadied at their upper ends. The lower ends of the plunger-bars are guided by means of the guide-pieces 99, secured to the cross-bar A, said guide-pieces being provided with a projection or bent portion, in which a groove or slot, 0, is formed in the rear portion of the plungenbar, and by which means the plunger is guided so as to register accurately with the molds. The crank-pins or eccentrics which operate the plungers are preferably made of steel, and are provided with a hard enedsteel friction roller, 6, both of which work in slots G, formed in the plunger, and by which means the plungers are operated, as before stated. The cam-slots G are of the form shown in Fig. 3-z'. 6., placed diagonal in the plunger-bars-so that when the main the arrow the crank-pin a will impinge on the lower edge of the slot, forcing the plunger gradually down to press the brick within the l molds. hen the pin a has traversed the slot 1 G from left to right, it comes in contact with the depressed upper edge of the cam-slot,thus quickly returning the plunger to its extreme upward point, which gives an'interval of rest to the plunger and permits the devices which operate the mold-frame to move a newly-filled mold under the plunger. The plunger-heads E, which enter the molds to compress the clay, are made of steel, and are connected to the cast-iron head B by means of bolts passing through thimbles, the length of the thimbles. determining the depth to which the plunger shall enter the mold-cavity. The thimbles are shown at a Fig; 1. The head B, to which the plunger-headE is attached, is larger than the mold, and is provided at its four corners with screwbolts h, adapted to be locked in position, the oflice of which will more fully appear.

V is the mold-table, on which the molds V V d are held by suitable guides or pins, which hold the molds from lateral movement, but permit them to have aycrtical motion, which is essential in securing what I term the aushaft is rotated in the direction indicated by tomatic under pressure. The molds and mold-table are mounted on a central shaft, a, located in bearings formed in a side extension of the standards A. To the lower end of the shaft a is secured the disk 1?, which is provided with a series of pins or teeth after the fashion of a crown-wheel, which engage with the elongated cogs or worm-gearing of the wheel M, said wheel or wheels M being mounted on shaft Z, and driven by means of a shaft, h, the lower end of which is connected to the shaft Z by bevel-gears, and to the worm a on the main driving-shaft by worm-wheel It will be noticed that a portion only of the periphery of the wheel M is provided with the cog or worm-gearing. These are so mounted on the shaft Z (one at each end of said shaft) and timed with relation to the plungers that when one of the plungers is in an elevated position the mold-table, with, the molds thereon, is moved around one-third of a revolution,thus bringing a newly-filled mold under the plunger, the cogs of the wheels M coming into action alternately to meet the requirements of the alternate movements of the plungers. The main driving-shaft a" is mounted in the brackets z, to the outer end of which is secured the band-wheel L, by which means power is applied to drive the machine from any suitable or convenient source of supply.

H is a wormgear secured to the shaft 1*, which meshes with the worm-wheel J on the shaft e, and thus compression-plungers and the devices for raising the molds and ejecting the brick from the mold are operated. As before mentioned, the molds are mounted 011 pins W of the mold-table, which enter openings in the walls of the mold and admit of the molds being moved in a vertical direction, but hold them in position against lateral displacement. The mold-table is provided with cavities A, which correspond in shape to the molds, so as to admit of the dirt or waste clay falling through to the ground, and thus prevent the clogging or sticking of the mold bottoms or followers. The cavities of the mold-table are provided with lugs W, which project inward and support the followers or mold-bottoms.

X X are the followers or mold-bottoms, and are cut away at the four corners, to form recesses and shoulders, against which the corner fillets or rods a impinge, the object being to allow the mold to rise a short distance without carrying the follower with it, and also prevent the bottom from falling down too far. These fillets or rods are placed in the four corners of the mold, and are riveted or otherwise secured to the steel lining of the mold, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6. The followers X are provided with T-heads X, which engage with like shaped openings in the head of the ejecting-rod T, which forces the followers up to eject the brick and returns them again to the bottoms of the molds before the mold-table is moved, as will more fully appear. The upward action of the molds is obtained by means of the levers m and Z, which are snitably pivoted near their outer ends to the standards or to any suitable or convenient place. The levers m and Z are bifurcated at their outer ends, and are attached to the guide-rods s s,

which project upward through openings in the side extension of the standards, and are brought in contact with the followers or moldbottoms by means of the following devices: To the inner ends of the levers m Zare pivoted the vertical bars 4 r, the upper ends of which are forked or bifurcated to embrace the shaft 6. Upon one of the arms or forks of the bar is secured the bracket E, against the lower side of which the cams s s impinge to raise the bar or bars r, said cams s 8 being secured to and operated by the shaft 6. The cams 8 lift the bar 0 and the inner ends of said levers, and draw the rods S S down and from contact with the lower face of the mold V. When the compression-plunger starts on its downward movement, the eam s has so far revolved with the main shaft 6 as to pass the bracket E and permit the bar r to fall, and forcing the rods S S in contact with the mold. A further revolution of the shaft 0 causes the bracket E and rod 1* to fall off the end of the easing-cam s, and the mold is forced to its upper position by the weight of the connectingrods on the inner ends of the levers m Z. As before stated, the lower corners of the follower'X are cut away to within a short distance of its upper face, as shown in Figs. 7 and 7', the object being to allow the mold to be raised a short distance without carrying the follower with it, and then to raise the follower just at the time when the bracket E has passed from off the cam 5, thus compacting somewhat the clay within the mold by the blow or jar produced by the dropping of the bar r and the sudden lifting of the molds. The compression plungers continue their downward movement, forcing the follower X downward until it strikes the bed or top of the projecting ledge A of the standard. The pressing of the clay within the mold through the friction on the sides and ends of the mold during such compacting carries the I said mold a short distance downward, when the set-screws h of the head B come in contact with its upper edges, forcing the mold to its lowest position, and by which means an equal density throughout the entire brick is secured. The molds, being loose or free to be raised in a vertical direction, are liable to be carried upward by the plunger in its return movement, owing to the force of suction eX- erted between the newly-formed brick and the face of the compressing-plunger. I obviate this by means of the following devices: The arms K K are hinged at their upper ends to the brackets K, which are firmly secured to the cross-bars A. To the upper portions of the hinged arms K K are secured the springs L L, which press againt the sides of the plun= ger-bar B. On the inner face of the arms K are the wedge-shaped earns 11, and secured to the sides of the plunger-bar B are the counter wedge-shaped earns 19, and also the cams 0, which act on the springs L.

The operation of the devices last described is as follows: The downward motion of the plunger forces the mold V down onto its seat on the mold wheel or table, and the cams 0, coming in contact with the upper ends of the springs L, forces them outward and brings the lower ends of the arms K inward onto the top of the mold and prevents said mold from rising up with the plunger. 'VVhen the plunger has freed itself from the brick and the mold in its travel upward, the cams or wedges 10, coming in contact with the cams p on the armsK, force the lower ends of said arms outward to free them from contact with the upper edge of the mold, and hold said arms apart until the plunger is again brought down. Ai

V ter the brick is formed and the plunger is withdrawn from the mold, the mold-table is turned one-third of a revolution by the devices already described, bringing the mold containing the brick over the bracketor arm 9 and permitting the T-head of the follower to enter a corresponding cavity in the vertical shaft T, as shown in Fig. 3. The levers m and Z are pivoted to the main standards, or to any suitable support, their outer ends being connected to the brick-ejecting bar or plunger T. The inner ends of the levers at Z are connected to the vertical bars or rods r r, the upper ends of which are provided with brackets E, counterparts of the brackets on the rods r. The rods r r are also provided with brackets t t, which are below the center of the main driving-shaft, and are in position to be operated by the cam s on said shaft, so that the rods r r have a positive movement in both directions, it being necessary not only to hold the connecting-rod in suspension during the movement of the table, but also to force it downward with considerable force in order to eject the brick from the molds. r

y y are brackets secured to the standards, which prevent the molds from being lifted out of place by the ejection of the brick.

In Figs. 11 12 I have shown the mold-filling device in sectional and plan view as detached from the machine. My obj eetin showing this portion detached is that I may better illustrate the other operating parts of the machine.

The feeding device consists of a hopper in which the clay is placed, provided with two measnring wheels located in the bottom of said hopper, and a trunk or spout, 3, which is a continuation of the hopper leading from the measuring-wheels to the molds. A guard-bar, 2, is placed across the hopper close to the measuring-wheels, which deflects the clay to the sides of the hopper and prevents it bearing too heavily on the adjacent vanes of the measuring-wheels, and also prevents the clay from falling through between the vanes or blades.

The measuring-wheels consist of two shafts, I 7, mounted in bearings in the sides ofthe clayhopper, said shafts being provided with vanes 5,which turns the mold-wheels in opposite di- 1 rections, and thus empties two compartments of clayinto the chute at one time, the amount of clay emptied at one operation being the desired amount to form a brick.

It will be noted that by the action of the devices describedv an alternate pressure is produced, the under pressure being caused by raising the follower and mold a certain height. Themes the friction of the particles of clay on the sides of the mold increases, the mold is forced down over the follower, up into the mold, and onto the clay, giving the required pressure from the bottom. The first pressure exerted is by the upper plunger, or from the top, then, when friction increases by the compacting of the clay on the sides of the mold, a momentary suspension of pressure, and then the forcing down of the mold over the follower, giving an under pressure on the brick. It will also be noticed that by the alternate and simultaneous motion of the mold, mold-bottom, and plunger the clay is kept continually moving in the mold from the time it enters until it is formed into a compacted brick. This movement prevents the clay from becoming stuck fast in the mold at any particular point, and the brick is more easily ejected from the mold, and is not so liable to become injured or broken while being ejected from the mold. By these alternate movements or compressions atop pressure is exerted, then a bottom pressure, and then both pressures are combined on the brick. In this way all the particles of clay will be moved and ar. ranged in place, and will require less pressure to make a brick of equal density in all its parts, much more so than if both the sides of the brick are pressed simultaneously toward the center of brick, which usually leaves the center of the brick less dense and compact than-by the action of my devices.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The method herein described of pressing brick, the same consisting in raising the mold with the clay'therein upward and in contact with the main compressiouplunger, by which a partial compacting of the clay in the upper portion of the mold is efiected, then permitting the mold to be slid down over the clay a short distance by the compressionplunger, and finally subjecting the clay within the mold to the upward pressure of the follower or mold bottom and the downward pressure of the plunger, as set forth.

2. The method herein described of making brick, the same consisting in continuously moving or changing'the position of the clay within vertically-movable molds by the devices, substantially such as described, during the pressing or forming process, whereby the particles of clay are more evenly arranged to form a solid and compact brick and the brick rendered more easily ejected from the mold, as set forth.

3. In a brick-machine, a rotary mold-table provided with movable molds adapted to be held in position from lateral displacement by pins, in combination with devices, substantially such as described, for raising and hold ing said mold from the mold-table during a portion of the time the brick is being compressed.

4. In a brick-machine, a series of molds movably mounted on a mold-table, said molds being provided with movable bottoms and adapted to be raised with the charge of clay therein, and to be depressed or carried down by the compression-plunger, as set forth.

5; In a brick-machine, a series of verticallymoving molds mounted on a mold-table, said molds being adapted to be carried down on the mold-table and held there during the final pressure of the brick and during the withdrawal of the plunger, as set forth.

6. In a brick-machine of the character described, the arms K, pivoted to the sides of the machine and adapted to be operated by suitable devices on the plunger-bar, in combination with the movable molds, as setforth, whereby the molds are held down while the compression-plunger is being withdrawn or v separated from the newly-formed brick.

7. The arms K, pivoted to the cross-bar A, and provided with the spring arms or extensions L and wedge-shaped cams p, in combination with the plunger-bar B and wedgeshaped cams p, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a brick-machine, the plunger bar or bars provided with a plungerhead adapted to fit within the mold-cavity and a supplemental head or flange adapted to impinge upon the top of the mold and force the said mold down, as set forth.

9. In a brick-machine, the plungenbar B, provided with the plungenhead E and supplemental head or flange B, in combination with the vertically-movable mold provided with a movable bottom, and the mold-table W, pro vided with the pins W, as set forth.

10. In a brick-machine, a vertically-movable mold provided with a vertically-movable mold-bottom, and devices, substantially such as described, for moving the mold and moldbottom upward, in combination with the plunger-heads E and B, as set forth.

- 11. The plunger-bars B, mounted in guides, as described, and provided with a diagonal slot, G, in combination with the shaft E and crank-arms a, whereby the plungers are quick 'ly raised and a period of 'rest given the plungers'before the downward movement is given the plungers, as set forth.

12. In a briclomachine, a mold-table pro-. vided with projections, adapted to fit within cavities formed in the sides of the mold, in combination with the mold V and follower X, as set forth.

18. The mold-table \V, provided with a central shaft, on the power end of which is secured a pin or crown wheel, in combination with the wheel M, having the mutilated gear, as described, whereby the molds are turned one-third of a revolution, as set forth.

FRANCIS M. COMSTOOK.

Witnesses:

WV. T. RANKIN, F. M. STAFFORD. 

